Goa: Loliem beach, Canacona
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90m-long sea cave
Paul Fernandes, 90m-long sea cave on Loliem beach is Goa’s first, Mar 20, 2017: The Times of India
Loliem: A 90m-long sea cave concealed in the rocky outcrop of a less frequented Loliem beach in Canacona could become a major attraction, as the wave-cut cave is the only one of its kind in Goa and perhaps the nearby region.
The geological wonder, though small compared to the world's most extensive 1.5-km-long Matainaka cave in New Zealand, is likely to put Goa on the world sea cave map.
With sea caves in India also not being heard of much, the cave at Cupan—naturally formed due to intense wave action on meta basalt rocks over thousands of years—has remained almost undiscovered by tourism, while sandy beaches of Palolem and Agonda, barely 15-20km away, have lured tourists in thousands.
Goa, as an international tourist destination, has its tourism profile boosted by sandy beaches, churches and temples, springs and waterfalls and soothing greenery. It also has more than 50 natural and man-made caves scattered on the slopes of hills all over the state.
But the L-shaped Cupan cave has been designed by nature in a different way. "Sea caves are carved through erosion usually in the weak areas such as faults and fractured areas. Initially, the carving by wave action begins with narrow cracks in the rocks," says geographer F M Nadaf.
Nadaf, who has interest in coastal geomorphology, explains that the dynamics of sea waves put massive pressure and penetrate into the cracks, resulting in erosion.
Geologically, Canacona coast is unique with the sea and forest merging at many places like Palolem and Talpona. "Unlike Salcete's smooth coast, Canacona is largely rocky with beaches, caves, bays, cliffs, headlands, spits, bars and other coastal features," he says.
Scores of screeching bats lend an eerie ambience to the scenic beach. The shore has hardly any sand but is carpeted with weathered material from long term erosion. "The rocks have developed multi-cracks and are in the process of decomposition," says Nadaf.
The evidence of plastic and other litter on the desolate beach shows that it is being visited by tourists and others. Located a few kilometres from the national highway, the spot below the vast rocky Maditalap plateau is difficult to access without a guide through a thickly forested valley and a stone-paved path leading down to the beach.
From the beach, the cave is concealed behind the rocks on its northern side. Unless one undertakes the climb and descent over uneven rocks—not easy and even dangerous, one may miss the cave.
"The caves I have seen in Australia are formed by the sea action on shores with soft common soil unlike Cupan," says Nadaf, who is also the principal of Shree Mallikarjun College, Canacona.
A large tract of land above the beach is being fenced off, indicating signs of approaching tourism activities. Local residents had opposed the setting up of a NIIT centre on the northern side of the plateau from here.
